Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MONROVIA1085
2007-09-13 13:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Monrovia
Cable title:
LIBERIA: FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER MATTHEWS AND TWO OTHER
how-toVZCZCXRO6545 RR RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHMV #1085 2561308 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 131308Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9222 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS MONROVIA 001085
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W PDAVIS, DBANKS, DOKEDIJI
INR/AA FOR BGRAVES
E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PINR PGOV PHUM LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER MATTHEWS AND TWO OTHER
FORMER OFFICIALS DIED SEPTEMBER 7
UNCLAS MONROVIA 001085
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W PDAVIS, DBANKS, DOKEDIJI
INR/AA FOR BGRAVES
E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PINR PGOV PHUM LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER MATTHEWS AND TWO OTHER
FORMER OFFICIALS DIED SEPTEMBER 7
1. Veteran Liberian politician and former Foreign Minister Gabriel
Bacchus Matthews died September 7, 2007 at a hospital in Monrovia.
Regarded as "the father of multi-party democracy" in Liberia, he
fell in and out of favor with successive Liberian leaders. The GOL
is expected to announce a state funeral. Coincidently, in the
United States, two other pillars of Liberian diplomacy also died on
September 7th; former Secretary of State J. Rudolph Grimes, who
served under President Tubman from 1960 - 1972 and was briefly Head
of State after Tubman's death, and Angie Elisabeth Brooks who
served as president of the 24th session of the General Assembly in
1954, and in addition to an active career in law and politics, held
a series of UN posts between 1956 and 1966.
2. Matthews is credited with bringing about the downfall of the
True Whig Party, which had ruled Liberia for over 100 years. After
graduating from City University of New York in 1971, Matthews
returned to Liberia and in 1979 founded the Progressive Alliance of
Liberia (PAL),which opposed then-president William Tolbert.
Matthews was jailed and charged with treason after protests he
organized to oppose increased rice prices turned violent. Released
after several months, Matthews transformed PAL into the Progressive
People's Party (PPP) -- Liberia's first opposition political party
-- in March 1980. He was then re-arrested after calling for
Tolbert's resignation. Matthews remained in prison until the April
12, 1980 coup d'etat in which Tolbert's government was overthrown.
He served as Foreign Minister under Samuel K. Doe until being fired
in 1981.
3. Matthews continued his political opposition until being appointed
Foreign Minister in 1990 by Interim President Amos Sawyer, a
position he held until 1993. An unsuccessful candidate for
president in 1985 and again in 1997, he became a supporter of 1997
winner Charles Taylor. Matthews was political advisor to George
Weah during the 2005 election, and had lived in relative obscurity
since then.
BOOTH
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W PDAVIS, DBANKS, DOKEDIJI
INR/AA FOR BGRAVES
E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PINR PGOV PHUM LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER MATTHEWS AND TWO OTHER
FORMER OFFICIALS DIED SEPTEMBER 7
1. Veteran Liberian politician and former Foreign Minister Gabriel
Bacchus Matthews died September 7, 2007 at a hospital in Monrovia.
Regarded as "the father of multi-party democracy" in Liberia, he
fell in and out of favor with successive Liberian leaders. The GOL
is expected to announce a state funeral. Coincidently, in the
United States, two other pillars of Liberian diplomacy also died on
September 7th; former Secretary of State J. Rudolph Grimes, who
served under President Tubman from 1960 - 1972 and was briefly Head
of State after Tubman's death, and Angie Elisabeth Brooks who
served as president of the 24th session of the General Assembly in
1954, and in addition to an active career in law and politics, held
a series of UN posts between 1956 and 1966.
2. Matthews is credited with bringing about the downfall of the
True Whig Party, which had ruled Liberia for over 100 years. After
graduating from City University of New York in 1971, Matthews
returned to Liberia and in 1979 founded the Progressive Alliance of
Liberia (PAL),which opposed then-president William Tolbert.
Matthews was jailed and charged with treason after protests he
organized to oppose increased rice prices turned violent. Released
after several months, Matthews transformed PAL into the Progressive
People's Party (PPP) -- Liberia's first opposition political party
-- in March 1980. He was then re-arrested after calling for
Tolbert's resignation. Matthews remained in prison until the April
12, 1980 coup d'etat in which Tolbert's government was overthrown.
He served as Foreign Minister under Samuel K. Doe until being fired
in 1981.
3. Matthews continued his political opposition until being appointed
Foreign Minister in 1990 by Interim President Amos Sawyer, a
position he held until 1993. An unsuccessful candidate for
president in 1985 and again in 1997, he became a supporter of 1997
winner Charles Taylor. Matthews was political advisor to George
Weah during the 2005 election, and had lived in relative obscurity
since then.
BOOTH